2 DELIVERING THE GAMES AGAINST
AN IMMOVABLE DEADLINE
8. The Olympics will begin in London on 27 July 2012,
with the Paralympics following from 29 August to 9 September 2012.
The Olympic Delivery Authority highlighted the scale of the logistical
challenge that staging the Games would represent, the equivalent
of 33 world championships being held simultaneously in one city.
The Authority's delivery programme from the award of the Games
to London in July 2005 included: two years to acquire and prepare
the land, secure planning permissions, and do the design work
and procurement; four years to build the venues and infrastructure;
and one year to fit out the venues and stage test events.[10]
9. The Department and the Olympic Delivery Authority
had been working together to get key projects underway in the
18 months since London was chosen to host the Games. Work had
begun immediately on the time critical project to re-route underground
the power lines on the area of the Olympic Park and the work was
on track to be completed on schedule and within budget. During
Summer 2008 power was planned to be switched from overground to
underground, allowing removal of the overhead cables and electricity
pylons, and freeing up the Olympic Park site for development.[11]
10. Progress had also been made in a number of other
areas: the London Development Agency now owned 93% of the land
required for the Olympic Park; the masterplan for the design of
the Olympic Park had been revised and finalised; a draft transport
plan for the Games had been issued; and most recently the Olympic
Delivery Authority had begun exclusive negotiations with Lend
Lease and Westfield for the development of the Olympic Village.[12]
10 C&AG's Report, paras 11, 13; Q 30 Back
11
C&AG's Report, para 16; Qq 14-15, 53 Back
12
Qq 32, 53, 86 Back
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